This invention relates to locator plugs. More specifically, this invention relates to locator plugs as used with ground anchor systems.
The use of various ground anchors has been relatively common. In particular, ground anchors are used for securing various above-ground structures to the ground. The above-ground structures secured by use of ground anchors buried within the ground include fence posts, marker poles or posts, and bases used for playing baseball or similar sports.
Ground anchors often pose a problem when the above-ground structure is removed from the ground anchor. Specifically, if a baseball base is moved from its ground anchor, a person falling upon the ground anchor may be injured. Even though the ground anchor is at least partially below the dirt, it often includes a metallic tube which may be hazardous.
It should be noted that baseball or softball fields are often used for different levels of play. For example, a youth league may play baseball on the field with sixty feet in between bases, whereas a high school or college team might use the same field with ninety feet in between the bases. Such a field would thus have ground anchors corresponding to sixty feet in between the bases as well as ground anchors corresponding to ninety feet in between the bases. When the field is changed by removing bases from the youth league ground anchors (sixty feet separation distance) and placing bases on the high school or college ground anchors (ninety feet separation), it is necessary to cover the youth league ground anchors. In particular, a resilient plug made of rubber or other elastomeric material has been used for protecting an athlete from the metallic tube of the ground anchor. Additionally, the rubber plug serves to prevent dirt from getting into the receiving tube. Further, the rubber plug serves as a locator to allow one to easily locate the youth league ground anchors.
Although various prior art ground anchor locator plugs have been generally useful, they have often been subject to at least two distinct disadvantages. First, such locator plugs often have a tendency to let dirt wash away from the locator plug, thus making the locator plug more exposed and increasing the possibility that the plug will get in the way of baseball players. Further, the increased exposure of the plug may cause problems for maintenance crews. Second, prior art locator plugs are often easily damaged by equipment commonly used upon a ball field. In particular, a drag having an angle iron with steel teeth is used commonly for raking or smoothing off a ball field. However, the drag often damages the prior art locator plugs. The tendency of the prior art locator plug to allow dirt to wash away from it increases the liklihood of the plug being damaged by the drag or being pulled out of the ground by the drag.